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LOS ANGELES >> Three men accused of starting the massive Colby Fire, that blackened 1,952 acres, injured six people and destroyed five homes, claimed innocence during an arraignment in Los Angeles federal court on Tuesday.

Clifford Henry Jr., 22, of Glendora and transients Jonathan Jarrell, 23, and Steven Aguirre, 21, pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of setting fire to timber, grass, underbrush in the Angeles National Forest by building a campfire on Jan. 15 and Jan. 16, two misdemeanor counts of violating a fire restriction order by using a fire outside a recreation site in the forest, a misdemeanor count of causing timber, trees, brush, and grass to burn in the forest without a permit and a misdemeanor count of causing and failing to maintain control of a Jan. 16 fire that damaged the national forest system.

A U.S. Magistrate judge set a trial date of March 11 and a status conference hearing of Feb. 20.

The felony charges come with a maximum sentence of five years each and three years supervised release, according to Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

He said each of the misdemeanor counts carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison or up to five years probation.

Henry and Aguirre are being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. They were handcuffed, wore jumpsuits and green jackets.

Jarrell, who is out on bond, wore a long-sleeved shirt and beige pants.

Jarrell was released on $10,000. He is being housed at a residential treatment facility and is supposed to have an electronic monitoring device.

Authorities said the three men built a campfire Jan. 15 when they camped overnight along Colby trail. Campfires are not allowed in that area.

The trio set another campfire the next morning when it was cold and windy. Along with twigs, they told investigators a notebook was tossed on the fire.

But embers from this second campfire ignited nearby dry grass and spread quickly.

After failing to stomp out the fire, Jarrell, Aguirre and Henry ran.

They were arrested that morning.

Thousands of residents in Azusa and Glendora, who live near the forest, had to evacuate their homes due to the blaze.